My favourite TV programme at the moment is called “Mountain Monsters”. The cast are, in their own words, hillbilly hunters, who pursue unknown animals in the Appalachian Mountains, and attempt to capture them. The film footage which they have managed to take constitutes some of the most dramatic and convincing evidence of Bigfoot in recent years.
Episodes are aired at 10.00 p.m. every Thursday on Animal Planet Channel (Sky 523 in the UK). Here is the team….
In charge is Trapper, the team leader…
Sometimes he wears a trapper’s hat…
There is Jeff, the researcher…
Willy, the trap builder…
Buck, the rookie, who is given all the jobs which involve getting wet or covered in mud…
Huckleberry is responsible for security…
The irrepressible Wild Bill is, as they say, a real character. He is the expert tracker, a superb tree climber, and a man who believes anything is possible if you are an ex-Marine.
In a previous episode they managed to take a trail-cam photo of the Ohio Grassman. He is the Bigfoot type of creature in that particular state, and the size of the pile of earth in the photograph makes him at least eight or nine feet tall.
Close up, he really is quite strange…
This week our intrepid heroes set out to hunt down the Yahoo, who lives in Nicholson County, West Virginia.

During the pursuit, they see every possible indication of the presence of a Bigfoot-type animal. These creatures regularly break down trees to mark their territory, and warn away trespassers…
They find three sets of enormous footprints, presumably Daddy Yahoo, Mummy Yahoo and Baby Yahoo…

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They stumble upon a carefully constructed Yahoo nest…
They hear tree knockings and see a farmer’s video of the creature:

Wild Bill and Willy build a trap…
It is quite an undertaking to work on the enormous trap needed for a creature of this size and strength:

In the subsequent thrilling night hunt, everyone sees the creature clearly on a thermal camera, they hear its thundering roar and it breaks down a number of fully grown trees down as a threat display.
This is a scary episode, a group of men alone with a creature of unbelievable strength:

And it’s nice to have a relaxing chat about it afterwards!:

You might well argue, of course, that Bigfoot is merely a man in a suit, but as a genuine bona fide monster, he has certainly been around for quite a while. Supposedly, he harassed Lewis and Clark nearly two hundred years ago.

“For more than 400 years people have reported seeing large, hair-covered, man-like animals in the wilderness areas of North America. Sightings of these animals continue today, often by people of unimpeachable character. For over seventy years, people have been finding, photographing, and casting sets of very large human-shaped tracks. Most are discovered by chance in remote areas. These tracks continue to be found to this day. The cultural histories of many Native American and First Nation peoples include stories about non-human “peoples” of the wild. Many bear a striking resemblance to the hairy man-like creatures reported today. There is, however, much disagreement as to what these facts mean. To many, these facts, taken together, suggest the presence of an animal, probably a primate, which exists today in very low population densities. If true, this species, having likely evolved alongside humans, became astonishingly adept at avoiding human contact through a process of natural selection. To others, these same facts point to a cultural phenomenon kept alive today through a combination of the misidentification of known animals, wishful thinking, and the deliberate fabrication of evidence. The BFRO, and its members, take the former view.”

If you find Sasquatch an interesting topic, you will soon become fascinated, as I have, by mild mannered M.K.Davis, the so-called “hippy from Mississippi”.

In his working life he was a photographic analyst in the astronomical world, but in his spare time, he has turned his interpretative skills to the many different trail cam videos of Bigfoot, and in particular, to the Patterson-Gimlin film:

Unfortunately, the ONLY reference to “Bigfoot” in the Lewis and Clark journals is to an Osage Indian named “Makes Tracks Far Away” or “Big Foot”. A better reference would be to the writings of Theodore Roosevelt, who recounts a tale told him by a guide whom he trusted and who had supposedly had some kind of encounter back in the “earlies”.

By way of background, I’m a trained and degree’d anthropologist, with an interest in paleontology and comparative anatomy, a former military officer, intelligence officer, and lawyer (all trained to be skeptical by nature). For decades, my family owned rural property in Perry County, Ohio (supposed home of the “Grassman”) and, for the last 30 years, I’ve lived in So. Oregon, in the heart of “Bigfoot Country”. Despite considerable time in the woods (in both venues, as well as others), I have never seen, heard, or otherwise found any evidence of “Bigfoot” (with one, possible exception during a back-country trip into “King’s Canyon National Forest” in the 1970’s). “Tree knocks” are singularly unconvincing evidence of “Bigfoot” (falling branches, called “widow-makers”, are common in the woods here and could easily account for these “tree knocks”), and every supposed “Bigfoot” vocalization I’ve heard has been from elk (which can make some truly weird noises) or other known animal. I’ve had close encounters (i.e., within 10′ and in full view) with every large – and small – animal the West Coast offers (Roosevelt and Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Bear, Coyotes, Cougar, etc. – with the exception of wolves, which have only recently spread here from the Yellowstone reintroduction) , but no “Bigfoot” or even “Bigfoot” spoor (I’ve also lived in London and Plymouth, with lots of time on the moors near the latter and never seen any of the large black cats or “hell hounds” supposedly inhabiting the area). Nonetheless, I find myself in agreement with Dr. Melum, from the Univ. of Idaho, whose study of “Bigfoot” tracks leads him to believe they are real (and there are simply too many of these to be excused as elaborate hoaxes, able to replicate shifting foot patterns and ridges, etc.). There is no theoretical objection to the persistence of small populations of large, unknown hominids, canids (such as the “Hell Hound” and “Demon Dogs”), and felids (such as the “Wampus Beast”), and my review of the evidence and personal contacts with locals in the Pike County, Kentucky area have convinced me that there is enough to the “Hell Hound” legend to warrant a serious attempt to find the animal (if, in fact, it does exist), tho’ I doubt that much is going to be obtained by roaring around the woods in “side-by-sides” shouting like banshees (not that I don’t enjoy the colorful antics of the “stars” of “Mountain Monsters” – I’m just surprised that there are any Englishmen who also find them entertaining, save as proof of what you’ve always thought we were like over here…).

I enjoy “Mountain Monsters” as much for the characters as anything else, and we also watch Finding Bigfoot” quite avidly. I would also watch any documentaries on these subjects. Over here, most of these type of programmes are about proving that God was an alien, Buddha was an alien, Stonehenge was built by aliens etc etc. Compared to that, MM and FB are quality television!

Mr. Knifton – I live 50 miles from Hwy 96, which runs right thru the Bluff Creek, California area (site of the Patterson-Gimlin BF film, which was shot not far from one of my regular rafting rivers). I can’t guarantee you gun-toting hillbillies, but if you want to go chase Apemen, I’ll offer my hospitality. No guarantees on any Sasquatch sightings (I’ve also never seen any aliens while driving the “Extraterrestrial Highway” or any demonic manifestations while driving “The Devil’s Highway” – formerly Rte. 666, both in Nevada, next door), but at least the scenery is nice in the Redwoods.

That’s a very kind offer, but I’m not sure if my health would stand up to it. At the moment, I’ve just joined the rather long queue for a hip replacement and it seems to be nothing except hospitals at the moment.

You are absolutely right Mr Gray. I am as enthusiastic as most of their biggest fans, but even my interest is beginning to pall. Two, or is it three series now, and all they’ve caught is Hogzilla, a very large pig. Still perhaps it is better to travel in anticipation than to arrive, as they say.